Dangerous road conditions in St. Joseph County expected as temperatures fall

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY Â? When temperatures drop quickly, water on the road can freeze almost instantly. That's why road crews have a warning to drivers tonight Â? you could be in for a real mess.

Crews are getting ready along the Indiana Toll Road. ItÂ?s a tough battle for salt trucks, and the warmer weather we have right now will likely make it even tougher.

Because it's still warm enough for rain to fall, plow drivers can't put down their normal mix of salt and slag to pre-treat the road, because it would simply be washed away.

So right now, they are simply standing by at salt barns waiting to see what will happen. But that doesn't mean they're not prepared.

Crews spent the afternoon loading up trucks and positioning them along the road.

But if temperatures dive as quickly as predicted tonight, there is a big worry that the untreated roadway Â? particularly pavement over bridges Â? will turn to black ice within just a few hours.

And with near whiteout conditions predicted in some spots as well, that has road crews very worried. That's why they have all available hands on deck, and a plan.

"As it starts to change over, we'll start spreading so hopefully the salt Â? we can create a brine and get it into the pavement,Â? explained ITR Maintenance Manager Pat Condon. Â?Otherwise, there isn't much we can do, other than wait for it, treat it as it starts, and hope everybody slows down."

One of the other major concerns tonight is the high winds, and the Toll Road has a plan to address that as well. If winds reach over 50 mph tonight, some of the larger semi-trucks will be banned.

Those winds are a concern for Indiana-Michigan Power crews too, particularly because they could come with some freezing rain that could snap power lines.

But there's not a whole lot they can do ahead of time, either, so crews are on standby there, too.

Watch WSBT News at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. for weather updates and the latest on road conditions.

Check the SBT24/7News page as well as WSBT-TV, South Bend Tribune, www.southbendtribune.com and WSBT Radio News for updates to this story.